At a cost of $500 billion to American taxpayers, the savings and loan debacle of the 1980s was one of the worst financial crises of the twentieth century as well as a series of crimes unparalleled in American history. Yet the vast majority of its perpetrators will never be prosecuted, and those who were received minimal sentences. In the first in-depth scrutiny of these white-collar crimes, this groundbreaking book comes to disturbing conclusions about the deliberate nature of this financial fraud, the political collusion involved, and the leniency of the criminal justice system in dealing with these "Gucci-clad white-collar criminals." "An important, arresting book." --Michael Rogin, author of Blackface, White Noise "The best way to rob a bank is to own one." --House Committee on Government Operations "This is a great book. Well written and argued, extensively documented, it is without doubt the definitive report on the S & L scandals. Calavita, Pontell and...